Berlin claim second straight Super Globe title

Defending champions Fuchse Berlin retained their title defeating EHF Champions League side Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 29-28 in the IHF Super Globe final at the Duhail Sports Hall yesterday.Berlin started stronger with two goals scored in the opening minutes – by Petar Nenadic and Fabian Wiede – before Mikkel Hansen added the first for the French champions in the fifth (2-1). The current World Handball Player of the Year also scored his team’s second, levelling the game in the sixth at 2:2. The score stood equal at 3-3 as Drago Vukovic was sent off for two minutes in the ninth – a dangerous moment for the Foxes, who must have known the numerical deficit would prove to have an impact facing a squad like PSG. During the suspension Nikola Karabatic took PSG in front 4-3 before Luka Stepancic increased the lead to 5-3.After 10 minutes of play, when the score stayed the, same Berlin coach Erlingur Richardsson requested his first time-out, and his team were next on the board courtesy of a ground shot from Wiede (4-5, 11th). Berlin right wing Hans Lindberg was injured in the next defence and had to return to the bench, and after his exit, PSG pulled in front to 8-5 midway through the half. At the 20-minute mark PSG held a comfortable four-goal advantage, but from that point they could not pull further ahead and the 2015 champions slowly closed the deficit with a goal from Steffen Fath taking the score to 11-13 in the 28th. PSG coach Zvonimir Sedarusic, who had started the game with Gorazd Skof between the posts, brought in the more-experienced Thierry Omeyer into the goal, and he saved the first shot against him, keeping the score the same as the half-time whistle sounded. In the second period PSG were first on the board with a goal from left wing Uwe Gensheimer opening a four-goal lead at 16-12, and the situation quickly became worse for Berlin as the French side pulled in front to 19-13 by the 37th before Edouard Kempf received a two-minute suspension. That was a turning point that initiated a comeback from Berlin, who slowly closed the gap to 16-22 and then 19-23 in the 44th. Paris kept the ‘Foxes’ at bay as they maintained a steady two to three-goal distance (26-23, 50th), but Berlin crept closer, with left wing Bjarki Elisson taking the German side within one at 25-26 in the 53rd. An outstanding ground shot from Nenadic kept the distance there as the last five minutes began (27-26 for PSG), and it was the left back who scored the crucial equaliser at 27-27 in the 57th. It took two more minutes for the deciding goal to find the back of the net, and it came from Berlin’s Steffan Fath. After his goal the Foxes stopped two PSG attacks in a row before Nenadic scored the last goal of the game. PSG lost their final opportunity to level the score, and Berlin moved into attack with less than 30 seconds left. Goalkeeper Skof made a great save on the final shot, but even as he ran for the rebound it was too late – the final buzzer sounded as the score board showed a one-goal advantage for Berlin, who celebrated their second straight Super Globe title.Kielce beat Sadd to secure thirdThe VELUX EHF Champions League champions Vive Tauron Kielce defeat Al Sadd by a decisive 11 goals to finish third at their debut IHF Super Globe. Kielce had little trouble defeating hosts Al Sadd 36-25, though it took 20 minutes for them to begin to create the difference. After that however, Kielce streaked ahead to lead by eight goals at half-time, and finish with an 11-goal advantage that secured third place at their debut Super Globe. Lekhwiya go down in a thrillerQatar’s Lekhwiya lost out on the fifth spot by a solitary goal as Esperance Sportive de Tunis won 28-27.The match was expected to be a close contest, but Lekhwiya started much stronger taking a 6:2 lead by the 10th minute when ES Tunis coach Denis Lathoud called his first time-out. After that his team came into the game, with a 5:0 run levelling the match by the 15-minute mark when Nidhal Amri scored his second goal (7-7). Lekhwiya, however, had a one-goal advantage at half-time.With Tunis leading 28-26, two ES Tunis suspensions within seconds of each other, for Oussama Boughanmi and Hamdi Aissa, enabled Lekhwiya to close the gap to one with less than 15 seconds remaining, but it was too late.Brazilian team Handebol Taubate finished seventh beating Sydney University Handball Club 35-23 in their 7/8 placement match. (IHF)